UPPER NAPPAN – The Municipality of Cumberland and the towns of Amherst and Oxford have created a Tourism Strategic Planning Committee to develop a regional tourism strategy. The purpose of the strategy is to maximize the value of tourism to the economy of the Cumberland region.
The strategy will include a vision and branding for tourism in the region.
The committee began its work in May and meets regularly at locations throughout the county.
A draft strategy is expected to be completed in early 2019.
The committee is following the process set out in A Guide to Community Tourism Planning in Nova Scotia, which was created by the Economic Planning Group of Canada.
The committee is midway through the process.
Recognizing the added value that results from public and stakeholder consultation, the committee will also be reaching out to communities and the tourism industry at large.
The committee is made up of tourism industry representatives from diverse sectors of the industry and many areas of the Cumberland region including: Gregor Wilson of Ski Wentworth, Jordan LeBlanc of the Joggins Fossil Institute, Wanita Livingstone of the Anne Murray Centre in Springhill, Pat Welton of the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro, Basil Hicks of The Bicycle Specialist in Amherst and Kevin Toth of Fox Harb’r resort.
Councillors Darrell Jones from Amherst, Rick Draper from Oxford and Lynne Welton and Don Fletcher from the county represent the three municipal units.
Tourism Nova Scotia is represented by tourism development advisor Nick Fry and the Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network is represented by board member Joe Michael.
Municipal staff from the county and Amherst provide organizational and administrative support.
